That Time a Bookworm Got Ascended in Tensura

Ch.43

Rozemyne's pov: 

Ow! I rubbed my forehead, as it was lightly smacked by the tip of a folding fan. "What was that for?.." I rubbed my forehead a few more time before looking back at Florencia, who was the one holding the fan. 

Tuuli and Karstedt both had pained expressions while looking at me, leading me to have an even greater confusion. I did not even slightly understand whatever the context was. 

"In public you need to call me mother, or use an honorific title." Florencia said simply, while not exactly glaring at me, but she was giving me a stare which indicated she wouldn't bend on this. It sent a small shiver down my back, and left me a bit wide eyed. 

I looked over to the boy and realized that I in fact did need to be more careful, though before doing that I realized the protection circuit was already partially drained from the last few days. "Sorry, mother. Give me a moment though, I need to do something." I then walked over to the flagstone in the center of the garden and rested my hand on it. 

 I measured carefully, to not use too much. Then I slowly transferred the magicules into the flag stone, eventually stopping when I believed it was topped off. I turned back to see Karstedt and Florencia both a bit wide eyed, and tilted my head in confusion. "What?"

"That.. was certainly a lot of mana.." Karstedt said with a bit of a coldsweat forming on his forehead, and a small forced laugh. I then realized the amount of magicules I had just used was actually pretty similar to the amount he currently had total. 

I waved my arms in front of my face and apologized, "OH! Sorry if that was frightening.. I was just charging the protection circuit." I explained while gesturing to the flagstone and making the magic circle it was connected to temporarily visible before allowing it to become invisible again. 

"Are you not exhausted after that?" Florencia was more calm, but still a little wide eyed when she posed the question. 

"Why would I be?" I asked sorta passively. I walked back over to Tuuli and stood in front of her while making a point to show I was in fact not exhausted. 

"If I may say, Lady Rozemyne, it is hard to believe the frail little girl I knew can so easily use such massive amount of mana without exhaustion.." Karstedt said while stepping back a bit behind Florencia, seemingly just a small bit frightened in her stead. He seemed ready to jump to protect her if necessary. 

I tried to laugh it off a bit awkwardly and motioned to Tuuli, "I believe her change is far more impressive." Trying to deflect the topic away from myself in the process. 

The boy with Karstedt seemed to simply stand there is a bit of confusion at the unseen exchange of information going on in front of him. Did he not have [Magic Sense]? 

"Who would he be?" I pointed to him while getting a bit of a new idea of how to change the topic now, and I also noticed Tuuli seemed to perk up a bit at the topic change. Did she know him? 

It was Karstedt who responded to this, by putting a hand on his shoulder and presenting him forwardly. "He is my son, Lamprecht." He said simply and sorta proudly. 

"Ah. I see, does he know Tuuli..-san?" I had to think for a moment for how to refer to Tuuli in front of him, it did not come easily from my normal impulses. 

Karstedt seemed to get a bit flushed at that and looked away, seeming to get a bit embarrassed. "I'll let him explain that, it is a bit embarrassing of a topic." 

Lamprecht put his hand to the back of his neck and looked away while saying it, "I lost a duel to Tuuli-san. She is surprisingly skilled and powerful." He seemed to look to Tuuli past me for a moment, there was a small glint of respect in his eyes. 

"Hm." I turned to Tuuli and tapped her lightly on the shoulder, "How about you stay out here with him, while me and the other two go in to talk?" I asked with an attempt at a wink, though it may have been a bit more various than I wanted. 

Karstedt seemed to frown slightly for a moment, before giving a resigned nod and looked to see what Florencia would say. 

"I'd have asked sooner, I did want to speak with you. We still have two hours." Florencia seemed to try to give me a small wave to tell me there was more to this, and I barely noticed.

So I nodded softly in response and then turned to the door while letting Tuuli step aside, then walked to the door and opened with a small gravity manipulation. "We can speak in the dining room, then." I walked inside with the two of them following and turned to the first door on the left, which led to the dining room and then pulled out three chairs on opposing sides of the table. Both of the doors closed behind us because of me, as well. 

They both sat down and I was a bit uncomfortable for a moment sitting across from the two adults, it definitely felt like I was a bit alone at the moment. Even if I had a pretty good relationship with Florencia so far. 

"Now, we just need to teach you how to react to various people. Though the first thing to do, is just to not speak when you aren't sure what to say. Allow me or someone else to handle it." Florencia started explaining what to do in the formal setting to me, assuming I wasn't exactly sure. Though I had shown I already didn't. 

I nodded softly with a bit of a faux innocence smile. "I can do that, I think." I wondered how long she had spent with Wilfried, as well. He seemed very rude, so I doubted she didn't have to spend a lot of time with him for this. I additionally wondered why he seemed so rude when Florencia was so strict on this. 

"First, would be any foreign royalty or nobility. Them you will refer to with their station, such as king, or duke." She gave me a moment for this, though it seemed easy to do. 

"I can do that, if they are introduced. Can I ask you if I am not sure through the circuit?" I held up the small stone, I always had it on me. Though it had been somewhat effected by my passing out for several days, having become smaller and more crystalline. I could tell it would still work, however. 

"You may. Next are the faces I can assume recognize, always, and I mean always. Refer to demon lords with the -sama honorific, in public. It would be entirely improper to do so for those who hold the same title as Rimuru-sama. Additionally this means former demon lords will be referred to as -dono." Florencia spent a lot of time on this, though I understood it with a small shiver thinking back on just how strong they all were in that room. 

"Have you ever interacted with them before?" I asked while continuing to shiver a bit thinking back on Guy's gaze, and just the sheer quantity of magicules in the room during Walpurgis. 

"The furthest I can say I have beyond Rimuru-sama is the former demon lord, Frey. She sent a request of mutual aide to Ehrenfest following the immediate revival of Charysbdis, she additionally informed us of it's defeat. She never gave the details however." Florencia explained offhandedly while taking a moment to remember a bit more thoroughly. "I do believe Ehrenfest also had her as an ally centuries ago when Charysbdis first awakened." 

I absorbed all this information carefully, coming to assume Frey was somewhat of an actor of similar interest more so than an ally outright. "Do you have any questions for me? I may be able to tell you a bit.." I didn't know much admittedly but I had at least met all the demon lords face to face, well, not exactly but been in the same room as them. 

"Hm. You probably know monster societies are based on strength, so I only have one question. How strong do you think the demon lords are compared to eachother?" With asking this she seemed to get a bit uneasy and looked around her just to make sure nothing was listening besides us, I could even feel her send out a little burst of magicules from the ring she was wearing to enhance the effect of [Magic Sense]. 

I thought on this for almost a minute, trying to come up with a list that would make sense based on what I had seen. In this end I had some idea, but only a general set. "I believe weakest to strongest it goes Ramiris, Dino, Luminas, Rimuru, Leon, Dagruel, and then either Milim or Guy. I am not sure who is stronger between the two of them, but Guy seems to let Milim-san do as she pleases. Luminas-san was stronger than Rimuru-san, but now Rimuru-san is stronger I believe." I explained as much as I could, to see what she'd decide on. Though I didn't know exactly where she was going with this. 

Karstedt seemed to be the one listening intently now, once I had finished he gave a small nod. "We are quite safe then, Rimuru-sama has a friendship with Milim. I can understand Ferdinand's decision making much more now, he does really seem to be the best choice for a union state." Finishing this off he let the focus switch back to Florencia. 

"What are your relations with the demon lords, as you have met them? I can't expect you made a good impression.. but I doubt you made a terrible one either." Florencia seemed apprehensive of my behavior, mostly seemingly because of my roots. Though I had thought I did my best during Walpurgis, the hiding behind Rimuru trick was quite effective once employed. 

I waited another moment before coming to a conclusion. "I suppose me and Rimuru-san are friends. I know Luminas but I can't say more. Milim-san and me have a one sided relationship, she kinda just treats me like a play thing at times. Ramiris-san is probably the most complicated, she seems like she knows a lot but is also really dumb. Guy seems to somewhat dislike me for my being a demi-spirit but I don't know more. The rest I can't really say I have any relationship with. I just know Rimuru is friendly or neutral with everyone but Leon, I think he has a grudge with him." I explained further, giving everything over I thought was important. The only think I left out was Luminas, I was still afraid she could hurt me even if Rimuru could probably win in a fight. 

Karstedt seemed to get a bit apprehensive for a moment at the full explanation, then turned to Florencia. "You know the full invitee list, which demon lords were invited?" 

Florencia pursed her lips for a moment then seemed to "tsk," before speaking. "All of them, for formalities sake, though Rimuru-sama was very sure not all of them would arrive. Otherwise it would essentially be a public Walpurgis." Florencia also seemed somewhat assured of this herself, they did just hold a Walpurgis after all. Would they essentially have another one only a few months later? 

I sighed at hearing what I was hoping not to, I supposed I just had to hope a few choices didn't show up. "What is next, that topic seems a bit too fate-sealing." I didn't even want to talk about it any more. 


Starting right away Florencia spoke, "Next is how you should address nobles from Ehrenfest. Luckily this should be quite easy, as you are an archduke candidate. You aren't baptized yet, but they likely will still address us as a group. All you have to do is let Sylvester speak." She finished, but then seemed to get a little antsy to explain more. I wondered what she was worried about, "In the off chance you need to speak to someone, most of them will greet you with an offer of a blessing. Traditionally this would be quite longwinded, though usually today it is shortened. You simply must say 'You may,' when someone does this. The only person you'd need to greet yourself would be... Your grandmother. Though I am hoping she will not attend. If she approaches you alone, simply say, 'May I grant you the blessing of summer?' to speak. Just try not to get too close, she took Wilfried from me when he was still an infant. I can't say I'd like you to interact with her, especially when you are so new to this." Who-ever the lady was, she seemed to worry Florencia, and by proxy. Me as well. 

"So her, I should avoid?" I tried simplifying it as much as I could, while giving a bit of a worried expression of my own. Florencia seemed like a really tactical lady, but someone who is so obsessed with tactics to go as far to take a child from their mother? 

"Yes." Florencia said simply while trying to give a bit of a relieved face for my sake. 

Karstedt seemed to want to comment now, it seemed he had been uninterested in this part of the conversation and had a new topic now. "May I ask what that large source of mana is in the other room?" He posed the question directly to me. 

It took a moment for it to register in my mind, then it clicked when I realized my mother was still in the living room. "Uh. Yes, I believe you mean my mother. She has had a terrible case of magicule poisoning for some time and we don't know the cause. She is also pregnant, with another child." I explained to him, already knowing he knew about my real family. I had already rejected an offer of adoption from him once. 

"Does your mother also have the devouring? I'd think she'd be unable to survive to adulthood if so." Karstedt seemed perplexed for a moment while looking over to the door of the dining room, seemingly wanting to leave to see for himself. 

"Uh, no. This is a recent occurrence. She did also get frequent fevers when she was pregnant with me, though. So, it could be the child.." I realized it the moment I thought about it deeper. My mother had no reason to have a retention for so many magicules, unless there was something else going on. 

Florencia seemed to be the one to perk up at this, "Are you saying it is possible she may be having another child with mana? If so I can only imagine the capacity will be.. very large." She commented while looking to the door herself now. 

"It is only a possibility, it could also just be her body reacting similarly to Tuuli, just with more resistance. I don't know, but, if that really is the case. If there is anything you can do, I want to ask if you'd please help her." I said it seriously, while looking Florencia in the eyes. 

It seemed somewhat effective at pulling at her heartstrings, as she soon nodded while speaking. "Another child like you would be very useful for the mana shortage, I can't refuse helping her if need be." She seemed to take a tactical approach to answering my question, though I could see a little bit of worry in her eyes. That was all I needed to be satisfied. 

"Thank you, Florencia. No, I'll say mother this time. Just this once, in private." I wanted to give her something for this, as at least it seemed she was trying to make me happy. 

It did seem her eyes lit up just a little bit imperceptibly at that. 

Karstedt seemed to cough awkwardly at the scene, "If this is important as you say, I will request my wife to help as well. Best case scenario we get a strong addition to the mana pool of the duchy." He seemed to already have something in mind himself, while gazing off softly. I wondered if he'd talk to Ferdinand about this later. 

'Nobles are nobles I suppose, I can't expect them to help someone for purely selfless reasons.' I thought to myself before sitting up to ask Florencia to help me practice all the greetings I'd need tonight. 

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--2801 words-- 

(AN: Florencia can be a good mom too, maybe. Perhaps. I hope you agree.)